Note: This is a re-advertisment, candidates who have previously applied may not need to reapply.

The Position:

The post of Reproductive Health Commodity Security (RHCS) Technical Specialist is located in the UNFPA Pacific Sub-Regional Office (PSRO) in Suva, Fiji. Under the overall leadership and guidance of the Director and Representative/Deputy Director and Representative, the post is part of an integrated unit made up of technical advisors and specialists working in the thematic areas of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), including family planning and reports directly to the Technical Advisor, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights The position provides integrated technical, policy and programme advice on RHCS. You will lead the RHCS team and provide policy, programmatic and technical guidance, advice and oversight, as well as ensuring quality and the delivery of results, in all programmes in the areas of Reproductive Health Commodity Security (RHCS) including comprehensive condom programming.

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. UNFPA’s strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to “build forward better”, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realize our goals.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.

UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.

Job Purpose:

The RHCS Technical Specialist is expected to be part of a programme of engagement with the political and technical arms of intergovernmental sub regional and regional organizations as well as with relevant sub regional and regional NGOs, professional associations, regional economic commissions (RECs) and regional banks (Asia Development Bank, etc) and international development agencies to get family planning and RHCS programmes, ICPD 2030 agenda and relevant ICPD SDG goals into their focus, decisions and programmes, creating visibility for UNFPA’s leadership. The functions of the position in regard to Family planning/contraceptive and fertility management and RHCS issues will also extend to country programmes, in the context of the enhanced but supportive role that PSRO is expected to assume. Within the context of UNFPA efforts aimed at alleviating poverty and improving people’s lives, and meeting the SDG target of “ensuring universal access to sexual and reproductive health care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmes by 2030”, the RHCS specialist will provide policy, programmatic and technical guidance, advice and oversight, as well as ensuring quality and the delivery of results, in all programmes in the areas of Reproductive Health Commodity Security (RHCS). In the broadest definition, this post is multi-sectoral and cross-cutting, engaging in all issues affecting commodity security, policy, system strengthening, supply management, demand generation, quality, availability, accessibility and sustainability of RH commodities.

The primary roles of the RHCS Technical Specialist are:

• Country specific technical support
• Capacity development
• Evidence and knowledge development and dissemination
• Technical representation

Qualifications and Experience:

Education:

• An advanced degree (Masters) in public health, medicine, procurement/supply chain, demography, economics, international relations, international development, public administration or other related field. A certificate in logistics, essential drugs and Management Information System (MIS) is an asset.

Knowledge and Experience:

Minimum Seven (7) years of increasing responsibilities at the national and/or international level in RH/FP or health programmes ideally with direct experience relating to logistics systems and supply chain management

• Sound knowledge of supply chain management: forecasting, procurement, warehousing, distribution, transportation and logistics information systems.
• General knowledge of the principles and operational aspects of integrated sexual and reproductive health and specific experience in family planning programming .
• Familiarity with UN development programmes and working procedures especially UNFPA policies and programming procedures, an asset.
• Proficiency in MS Office Packages, database management and the Internet.
• Experience in M-Supply software is desirable
• Certification in Supply Chain Management or Programme Management is desirable

Languages:

Fluency in English is required.